Household appliance



Nov. 1-3, 1951 R. c. KERSH HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCE Filed July 23, 1948 INVINTOR Ralph C. Kersh Patented Nov. 13, 1951 :1;

HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCE Ralph C. Kersh, Mishawaka, Ind., assignor, by mesneassignments, to S. C. Johnson, Inc., Racine, Wis., a corporation ofWisconsin Application July 23, 1948, Serial No. 40,222

V 1 i This invention relates to improvements in-household appliances,and more particularly to anapplicator or holder which may be used tomount any one of a selected number of work elements adapted to be usedfor treating the surface of a work piece.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my co-pending application,Serial Number 5748 filed February 2, 1948 for Household Appliance, whichapplication issued July 25,1950, as Patent 2,516,396.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive,sturdy appliance of this character which is readily grasped and to whicha Work element may be applied quickly in a manner to be firmly held indesired position.

A further object is to provide a device of this character comprising asheet metal member bent in generally semi-cylindrical form to provide ahand grip portion and having diverging sides terminating in grippingportions bent in diverging relation with respect to the hand grip orbody portion, said gripping portions providing 2 Claims. (Cl. 15-231)bearing surfaces for applying pressure and means adapted for lockingengagement with a retainer and having a, snap fit therewith. Thegripping portions of the diverging sides are so positioned relative tothe body portion that when pressure is exerted downward, thetransmission of pressure through said sides is in an outward direction.A further object is to provide a device ofthis character comprising amember havin an integral hand grip terminating in gripping portions bentinto diverging relation, a retainer of 'generally U-shape adapted tohave a snap fit upon the hand grip portion, and a work piece carried bysaid retainer and locked or clamped between the margins of said U-shapedmember and said handle flanges.

I A further object is to provide a device of this character adaptedparticularly for the application of fluid material to a working surface,comprising a hand grip portion, a retainer portion having a connectionwith the handle portion, and

an applicator comprising porous absorbent mav e :Figure 1 is aperspective view. ofthe device 2 showing a representative unattachedwork element;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the device i1- lustrated in Figure 1showing a representative attached work element.

Figure 3 is a front elevational View of the device illustrated in Figure2.

Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the device illustrated in Figure2.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly to Figure 1, the numeral Illdesignates a body or hand grip member having a handle I I. The numeralI2 designates a retainer member. Both the body and retainer, I0 and I2,are preferably formed from sheet metal of suflicient thickness to retaintheir shape and also possessing the property of at least a limitedamount of resilience.

The member I0 is bent transversely on a curve of large radius to providean elongated curved portion assuming the form of an are extended in thedirection of its elongation and having tangent sides from which grippingportions I3 extend in outwardly diverging relation having outwardlyprojecting fiat surfaces. One of the tangent sides is constructedsubstantially longer than the other and extends away from the arc toform an acute angle with the plane in which the edges of the grippingportions I3 lie.

The retainer I2 preferably comprises a plate I4 of substantially thesame length as the member In which is bent transversely inconcavo-convex form on an arc of large radius. The width of the plate I4is greater than the width of the member II! measured by the distancebetween the gripping portions I3 of the member Ill. The plate I4 is bentat I5, and flanges I6 form the margins of said plate, said flanges beingarranged in converging relation with their free inner ends spaced aparta distance substantially equal to the spacing of the tips of thegripping portions I3 on the handle portion Ill.

The arrangement of these parts is such that the retainer I2 may beapplied to the body portion III either by longitudinal sliding of theparts or by a snap fit. It will be observed in this connection that theformation of the bod member I0 with its diverging gripping portions I3provides resilience and permits the gripping portions I3 to be sprungoutwardly to permit the leading or free edges of the flanges Hi to snapthereover when the parts are applied together in a directionperpendicular to the face of the retainer I2. The advantages of thesnap-on type of application will be referred to hereinafter. It will beapparent also that the curved plate It of the retainer constitutes aspring member and that the curvature of this member may be such that itexerts an inward spring pressure acting against the outward pressure ofthe body l when the parts are assembled, thereby insuring a snug tightinterlock of the parts when assembled. It will further be observed thatthe parts are so pro-.- portioned that when the outer faces of thegripping portions l3 of the body l0 fit between the flanges H5 and bearagainst the inner faces there.- of, two points of continuouslongitudinal enga ement are provided between the body It! and theretainer l2, such lonigtudinal line of engagement being between thegripping portions 13 and flanges I6. This serves to solidly connect theparts together, to prevent loose play therebe! tween, and to provide formultiple continuous lines of engagement at which the pressure applied tothe handle H or body part I0 is transmitted to the retainer part 12. Thehandle ll projects substantially perpendicularly from the longer side ofthe body portion IE! and is positioned substantially equidistant fromthe ends of the elongated body portion. It is also necessary that thehandle H rise from a position closer to the point at which the longerside is tangent to the arc than to the edge of the gripping portion l3of the longer side. In other words, the center of that portion of thehandle lying in the same plane as the longer side will be in the upperhalf of the longer side. In practice, the pressure exacted by the useris transmitted through the handle H and upon body it causing thediverging side of said body Ill to diverge saidgripping portions into atight fit with the inner faces of the flanges l6.

The embodiment shown in Figure 2 illustrates the mounting upon thedevice of an applicator for a liquid material. This applicator maycomprise a plurality of sheets of disposable fibrous absorbent tissuesuperimposed in pad form I! and bearing against the outer face of theplate I4 of the retainer in continuous engagement bent to conform to thecontour of the retainer plate 14. found suitable, of which a number oftypes are now available on the market and which are commonly used ascleaning tissues, facial tissues, disposable handkerchiefs and the like.These tissues may be formed of paper stock or cellulose stock and arebonded together in sheet form and are characterized by a low density orporosity which renders them highly absorbent. Such tissues have only avery low tensile strength and readily disintegrate when Wetted so thatthey are readily disposable. It will be understood that the absorbentpad i? may also be formed of other material, such as felted wool orcotton padding or other absorbent material of low tensile strength. Theabsorbent pad I! may be of any desired thickness which is preferablyuniform throughout its extent, said pad being of a length substantiallyequal to the length of the retainer l2, although it may be eithershorter than said retainer, or, in the form illustrated in Figure 3, itmay be slightly longer than said retainer and project beyond the endsthereof. The absorbent pad ii is held in place by a cover sheet l8 whichmay be of tubular shape, have the same or greater length than the pad lland of greater width than said pad. The cover sheet I8 is formed offlexible absorbent material of greater tensile strength than the padmaterial H. The sheet l8 may comprise a woven fabric sheet, such as asheet of cloth. preferably cotton cloth, or it may be formed The tissuesmay be formed of any material 1 of synthetic material. One suchsynthetic ma terial which is now available on the market, and whichpossesses the requisite porosity and strength, is felted from celluloseor paper fibers and vegetable fibers, such as cotton fibers, in such amanner as to provide the strength desired without substantial sacrificeof porosity. In other words, the cellulose fibers insure porosity andthe long vegetable fibers, such as cotton fibers, impart strength to thesheet. These two materials are cited as illustrative, it beingunderstood that any flexible sheet material having substantial tensilestrength and porosity permitting it to absorb liquid may be used. Thepad material I! is placed upon the tubular cover sheet l8 at the centerthereof so that the cover sheet I8 is positioned between the pad I! andretainer plate [4. The pad l1, formed of felted wool or of any othermatter of desired absorbent proper e and capable of r taining its shapand form is secured to the tubular cover [8 formed of clo h, paper r anyother ui bl x ble sh t. material. The s-s ti nal s e of th u 8 is la eenough to permi it o fi reely ar u d the retainer l2, and to permit theflanges 16 of the retainer to re v d nt l ck wi h th ppin por ion 13 ofhe b y 10- In perati n h r tainer I2 is slid in ide the hoo it.whereupon the assembly of th parts 8 and I2 serve to draw the tubularcover 18 taut into firm n n-slippin n a emen wi h the in e locked par sl0. l2, it being unde stood that the cr ss-sectional s e of th tubul rcover "I is careful y se ected to insure that the ver It is so draw tautby he parts I0. 12. his pad has he dva ta of easy ss mbly an moun in byvir ue of the tubular c v 18.- Thi pad may be made i nexp nsive materialof disposable character.

A device of the chara t r descr bed bove has particul r util y fhousehold use n the app1ication of wax, p li h ng material and other lquid o be applied to a work surface. The pad I? may be wetted y theliquid and will absorb the same. Then as the assembled device is used,the applis, cati n. of pre sure th r to will cause the liquids to beexpelled from the pad uniformly for unif rm application of the materialto the working surface.

The advantage of this, device is that, when the use of the device as anapplicator has been com pleted, the pad may readily be removed and dis?posed of. A pad formed of this material isinexpensive and a number ofpads can therefore be supplied with each container of the liquid ma.-

terial to be applied. Removal of the pad .can be effected by separatingthe parts [0 and I2, as by sliding them longitudinally with respect toeach other, so that when the retainer I2 is free from the body Ill, thepad assembly H, IE may be re! moved from the retainer easily and quicklyby sliding the tubular sheet material IS with the pad I! attachedthereto off of the retainer 12.

It will be apparent from the above that the device provides amulti-purpose household appliance adapted for many different householduses, each characterized. by convenience, Simplicity, and avoidance ofcontact of the user with the working element. The device may be sold asa part of a set including the parts [0 and I2 and such othersupplementary or auxiliary parts to be used therewith as the user maydesire.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated anddescribed herein, it will be understood that changes may be made in theconstruction within the scope of the appended claims without departingfrom the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. A device of the character described consisting of a resilient sheetmaterial bent longitudinally to define an elongated body portion, saidbody portion constructed to form an are extended in the direction of itselongation with sides tangent with said are and terminating in elongatedgripping portions having edges lying in a common plane, one tangent sidebeing substantially longer than the other and extending away from saidare to form an acute angle with the plane in which said edges lie, ahandle projecting substantially perpendicularly from said longer sideand positioned substantially equidistant from the ends of said elongatedbody portion and closer to the point at which said longer side istangent to said are than to said edge of the-gripping portion of saidlonger side, said gripping portions so positioned relative to said arethat when pressure is exerted upon said handle, the transmission ofpressure through said sides is in an outward direction, and a retainermember formed of resilient sheet material bent longitudinally inconcave-convex form to define a central bearing wider than the spacingbetween the outer edges of said gripping portions and elongated sideflanges on said retainer converging at an angle to hold said grippingportions therebetween.

2. A device of the character described consisting of resilient sheetmaterial bent longitudinally to define an elongated body portion, saidbody portion constructed to form an are extended in 3 the direction ofits elongation with sides tangent with said are and terminating inelongated gripping portions having edges lying in a common plane, onetangent side being substantially longer than the other and extendingaway from said are to form an acute angle with the plane in which saidedges lie, a handle projecting substantially perpendicularly from saidlonger side and positioned substantially equidistant from the ends ofsaid elongated body portion and closer to the point at which said longerside is tangent to said arc than to said edge of the gripping portion ofsaid longer side, said gripping portions so positioned relative to saidare that when pressure is exerted upon said handle the transmission ofpressure through said sides is in an outward direction, and a retainermember adapted to carry a surface-treating element and formed ofresilient sheet material bent longitudinally in concavoconvex form todefine a central bearing wider than the spacing between the outer edgesof said gripping portions and elongated side flanges on said retainerconverging at an angle to hold said gripping portions therebetween.

RALPH C. KERSH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 248,212 Piper Oct. 11, 1881785,836 Sill Mar. 28, 1905 1,175,245 Dennis Mar. 14, 1916 2,205,535Muckenhirn June 25, 1940 2,454,836 Nissenbaum Nov. 23, 1948

